A tale of triplets

So, as some of you may know, this summer I will be nannying for a family in my college town for two months. We’re still working out whether it would be easier for me to stay in a dorm or in their home (they have an apartment for when one of the boys grows up attached to the house, which they are currently using as a guest suite), but most of the other details have been worked out.

And today, I actually got to meet the boys: “Aaron”, “Larry”, and “Joshua”. They are fraternal triplets, and possibly the most adorable kids that ever lived. They are either six or seven; I couldn’t really get a straight answer. The easiest way to describe them is one by one, as they re all such totally different people.

Aaron: Aaron is the only Neurotypical kid in the family. He loved Ben Ten and birds. He and I bounced on the trampoline, and then he showed me his book of Pennsylvania birds and had me watch him play Wii. He loves to cuddle, and spent most of the time with his head on my shoulder. He seems pretty smart, but I think he feels a bit left out because the parents need to spend so much time with Larry and Josh.

Larry: Larry has Kanner’s autism and OCD. I didn’t get to see much of Larry because he and his mom left for home depot minutes after I arrived, and returned with lunch minutes before I left. He communicates solely through echolalia and was very wary about my arrival. He left the trampoline as soon as I switched places with his mom who needed a break. Hopefully he’ll warm up with time.

Josh: Josh totally melted my heart. He has no speech but knows a few signs (all-done, please, and more). They’re still looking for an alternative communication form he’ll like to use, so he’s often frustrated because he can’t express his needs. He’s the one everyone at the center warned me about. “Oh, you’re nannying for the ___ boys? They’re adorable, but watch out for Josh; he bites.” He is a major sensory seeker! He spent the first half-hour while I was with Aaron playing with a playskool sink, filling a cup with water and then dumping it on various surfaces. Then he managed to dump a bottle of bubbles on his head and had to take shower #2 of today. After that they kept him in just his diaper because it was easier then changing his clothes everytime, and he seemed more comfortable in it anyway. Then him and his dad joined me and aaron on the trampoline, and we all had a blast. Then we sat down to lunch which was a game in itself. Every two minutes Josh would spring from his seat and stand on the counter. Once I’d gotten him back into his chair, he would point at the Organic Ketchup and sign “More please”. He must have had half a cup on his plate! But because they are really trying to encourage any sort of communication, I was told to comply each time. He loved to be tickled and to have raspberries blown on his forehead. Once mom and Larry came home, they added Ranch to his plate, and he covered himself and the table with it. Then he rubbed it in my hair! and onto my sweater. I had to try really hard to contain myself; I hate, hate, hate white soquids. He went in for shower #3 with his dad, and their mom loaded me and the two other boys into the car so they could drop me off at my job.

I had such an amazing time with the boys, and I am really excited for this summer. I can’t wait to go back on Friday!

Classifying Cale’s Characteristics

I was talking to my mom over break about when I was diagnosed with SPD (age 7 or so). She mentioned that the most difficult part of the diagnosis (aside from having to reconicle herself to the fact that both of her kids were special needs) was realizing that so many family stories which revolved around “Cale’s quirks” weren’t about quirky behavior at all, but rather symptoms of the disorder. Things like:

-Laying on the concrete screaming and crying while the fireworks went off at disney (age 2)

-Crawling under a table at a restaurant with a live pianist and crying loud and long enough to empty the restaurant (age 18 months)

-Refusing to eat the new Burger King fries with less sat. fat even though they tasted no different to everyone else (age 6)

-Preferring to sit right next to the television with the volume turned down really low rather than a few feet away with the volume high enough to be audible to others (age 3 on)

-My feigning ill every time she suggested a beach trip so that I could avoid the sun tan lotion (age 3 on)

She knew these weren’t typical behaviors, but she thought they were just a part of who I was. But post-diagnosis, these characteristics, which were once amusing details to share with coworkers, were now attached to the stigma of a neurological disorder.

It makes me wonder about the notion of diagnosing individuals who are functioing at a high enough level that intervention may not be needed or particularly successful. Perhaps it is better to have some “quirks,” some individual differences and aspects, rather than “symptoms.” This could improve the mindset of the parents and the self-esteem of the child, not to mention better represent the true diversity of people rather than classifying some as “normal” and some as “other.”

Challening Classmates to effect Change

So, I’m still working on coming up with a new theme for Theory Thursdays, and I thought in the mean time I would answer another “Ask an Aspie” question. This one came from Good Fountain who asked:

“Hey Cale – you mentioned that you were Valedictorian of your HS class. Did you give a speech? What did you talk about? I’m curious about that.”

I did, in fact, get to give a speech, and it is one I’m quite proud of. And though it hasn’t seen the light in two years, I was able to dig it up and will present it here in full. Without further ado, Cale Irwin’s valedictory to the (my hometown) class of 2007:

See, when they planned this spot for me in the ceremony, they intended that I speak for a good portion of the afternoon. You’ll note that I came right after all the other speeches, so you’re all revved up for another, and right before diplomas are handed out, so your focus is clearly on the words coming out of my mouth right now. (Pause for laughs).

I’d like to begin my speech with a few compulsory thank-yous.

     First, to the patents. In (my hometown) School District, you began your journey as the second half of Parents as Reading Partners, run by the PTA. And even though we know authors like Anne Rice and Stephen King could never compare to the stories you read with your children about dogs digging up bones and cats who discovered someone stole their milk, we as kids were willing to enlighten you about this topic for 40 minutes a day, and we appreciate your willingness to be so educated. Then, as Mrs. (Band teacher) has reminded you at each and every concert you have ever attended, you evolved into chauffeurs. And though it didn’t break the bank to travel from (Elementary School) to (Middle School), the way it does today, we’re glad you made the effort that helped us arrive here today. Finally, most of you parents in the audience are discovering the joys of borrowing between sixty and two-hundred thousand dollars from various organizations to pay for college. Hopefully all the hassle will be worth its while when in four years you get the privilege of attending yet another long stuffy ceremony listening to more poor speakers attempt to draw out laughs.

     Next, I’d like to thank the teachers for attending endless staff development meetings and the school board for rigoursly ensuring that our curriculum was always relevant. (*Our school’s motto was curriculum: rigourous and relevant!)

     Finally, I would like to address the graduates. I believe Congratulations are in order, we did finally make it through twelve years of the mind-numbing public education system. But our progress has been remarkable. We entered not knowing what numbers were and left doing math our parents couldn’t understand half of. We entered barely able to spell our own names, and left having read Shakespeare, Dickens, Steinbeck, and all those other bleeding-heart liberals some parents would prefer outlawed.

We’re entering a world filled with possibilities- we can go to college, enter the military, or join the workforce. We can become parents or travel the world; we can still live the American dream, with a pure-bred dog to boot. Everything awaits us if we’re willing to work for it. There are so many positives awaiting us in the world if we’re willing to seek them out.

But it’s not all peaches and cream.

“The most distressing aspect of the world into which you are going is its indifference to the basic issues, which now, as always, are moral issues.” said Robert Maynard Hutchins, and he hit the nail on the head. We live in a nation where the majority of the population is privileged- they have full civil rights, can put food on the table, and lay in their own bed at night instead of prison or the streets. But because of this, they tend to forget the people who aren’t offered these basic amenities. The newspapers are so carried away with which celebrities is in jail for which drug offence or which comic repeated which slur to which individual that they don’t carry the news about the genocide in Darfur or the human rights violations in Iraq. There are still some people clueless about the massacres in Rwanda. Never forget? We don’t know what it is we’re supposed to remember.

We need to be the generation that chances this pattern. We need to wake up and raise awareness and take action. We’ve certainly gotten a running start here at the high school. The class of 2007 was a class devoted to raising social awareness. This class produced (Boy X), our President, who sponsored Darfurapalooza and Katrinaid, two concerts which raised money and awareness about their respective causes. (Girl Y) and (Girl Z), founded GAPP to raise awareness about issues facing modern teenage girls, and worked to empower women of all ages. I and an ‘06 graduate (Boy Y) formed the Gay Straight Alliance to bring to light issues of homophobia here and abroad. This year’s new environmentalist club sponsored Greenfest, a concert where over 200 students came to learn about ways they can lessen their impact on the environment. And this year’s class had 6 Gold Award recipients and 3 Eagle Scouts, a record number, all of whom used social action as the basis for their project. And that’s the beginning of a list that could go on for several hours about all that this year’s graduates have accomplished to ensure that our community is not indifferent to the ills of the world- that they are well aware and willing to make changes.

    But this is a spirit that has to be brought with us to college or the workplace or the military. Each person ought to find a cause they feel strongly about, whether it is one listed above or something entirely different, such as the status of minority citizens in Russia, and make sure that those around them are aware of the consequences of their issue-of-choice not being minded.

Modern technology has made is so easy to raise awareness. You can now broadcast your feelings or search out a cause or even become politically active through facebook. You could start a blog on the internet or form a club at your college. You could develop fliers or brochures, you could hold benefits and concerts. You could set to work the old-fashioned way and go door-to-door taking to people in your neighborhood or dormitory or barracks. Anything to get the word out and raise awareness. Because it’s true that we as a class have done plenty already, but in this world that we’re entering there is so much that we’ve yet to accomplish.

Before I leave, I’d like to share one more quote from you, from Elie Weisel, a Holocaust survivor who knows exactly what the consequences are when people ignore the social problems surrounding them. Weisel said, “The opposite of love is not hate; it’s indifference. The opposite of art is not ugliness, it is indifference. And the opposite of life is not death. It is indifference.” We are a nation which cannot afford to be indifferent any longer. Thank you!

I know it’s rather long, but it was days of work and revision and I would very much appreciate your reading and comments. Thanks.

 

 

Taking Tourette’s to Town

Here at college, I’m rather insulated from the rest of the world. True, I work at the library and volunteer at the outreach center, but those are both places filled with special needs individuals, so quirky behavior isn’t really noticed ot acknowledged. But I went home for spring break, and for the first time, my TS went with me (my symptoms were never really as evident as they are now).

Monday, I went shopping at a local dollar store for toys for Charger. I’m wandering about, performing the relatively new tic of touching both my shoulders simultaneously, each with one hand. I’m examining a Lightning Mcqueen coloring set, and an elderly woman comes up to me. “Honey, you’re doing it wrong,” she says, “it’s done this way.” She then proceeds to touch each shoulder with her right hand, and then make the complete Catholic sign of the cross (head, heart, both shoulders). She then smiled at me like she had given me the key to the universe, and walked on. I stood there for a moment dumbstruck and then went back to shopping.

Wednesday I was at the thrift store looking for some items to practice stringing and lacing. A little girl wanders over to me and giggles. I turn to look at her and she starts mimicking my movements and giggling more. I’m starting to get confused and she says, “Simon Says!”. We both laugh and I invent some new contortions for her to work on. Maybe it is poor sensitivity training, but I found the situation slightly hilarious.

Finally, over the course of the week, I discovered I may be able to make money in this terrible economy by selling the free things people offer me because of my throat clearing tic. Know anyone interested in buying a multitude of tissues, cough drops, or water bottles?

Do you/your child have visually observable differences? Any good stories about responses from the public/your reaction to them?

Knowing When it is time to switch doctors

Like most people on the Spectrum, change bothers me, especially when it means meeting new people. But sometimes it is simply a necessity, such as when you’re getting  inadequate medical care. After several disappointing visits, I’ve discovered it is time for me to switch to a new doctor.

Bear in mind while reasing this that my current GP is a pediatrician with a specialization in adolescents with special needs.

Wednesday, I go for a regualr check-up. I’m sitting in the examination room waiting for a doctor or nurse to come in and take vital stats. My ped walks by the room and yells out, “Who is making that obnoxious barking noise, and why are they on the well side of the office?’ Professional, huh?

A nurse comes in and is taking my vital stats. I’m clearing my throat as usual, and she says, “Oh, I hate it when I just can’t get the gunk out of my throat.” I smile and respond, “Actually it’s a tic; there’s nothing physically in my throat.” Her response, “Oh, well could you knock it off then?” Huh wuh?

So another 45 minutes pass and Dr. B comes in.

• “Oh, Cale, I’ve seen you’re really doing well with your weightloss.”
• “Oh, actually I’ve had a stomach virus the last 3 weeks; I’m not keeping much food down. I’ve been rather weak and fatigued.”
• “But you look so good! You should keep at what’s working” :0

Chat a bit more…

• “So, Dr. B, can you tell me why I’m making these movements/noises?”
• “Not really, no.”
• “Do you think it migh be Tourette’s?”
• “No. Absolutely not.”
• “Is there a different disorder it might be?”
• “Not to my knowledge.”
• “Do you have any reason to believe it’s not Tourette’s?”
• “No”. (At this point it dawns on me she doesn’t know what TS is. The giant redflag is the late onset, which would be a huge counterindication.)
• “Okay, so you have no other ideas, and you have no reason to believe it’s not Tourette’s, but you firmly believe that it is not, in fact, Tourette’s.”

The doctor excuses herself and is gone five minutes. She walks back in.

• “Ah, Cale, we have good news. We seem to have come to an answer. We think it might be a disorder that you may have heard of. It is called Tourette’s Syndrome. It is characterized by vocal and motor tics. You should have your neuro evaluate that possibility.”  :0!!!

And finally later.

• “You need your Hep A and PPD shots; do you want me to get your mom so you can hold her hand?”
• “No, thanks. I’ve had IVs in the past. If I can have a needle in my arm for  an hour, I can deal with a pinprick.”
• “Why did you have IVs?”
• “For the contrast for the MRI’s”
• “What MRI’s?” (I’m a chronic pain and migraine patient. I’ve had 3. She prescribed them all!)
• ‘The ones of my brain. You prescribed them.The write-up is in my chart.”
• “So do you want me to get your mom or not?”

I’m having mom call for the files this week and start looking around for a new GP. No one should have to deal with this nonsense.

Things Parents Need to Know

I wrote this a while back but it never made it onto the blog. But it is today’s Try-this Tuesday topic so:

 Just Post Diagnosis:

• Remember that your child is the same person he was before the doctor said “I think it’s autism”. The diagnosis is not a death sentence, it’s a way for you to learn more about your child and find strategies which will help him be as successful as he can be.
• Don’t become disheartened by the gaps between your child and Nts or your child and some higher functioning autistics. The fact is that a prognosis cannot be made based upon a child’s behavior at two or three. Some will begin to blossom in a few years or even a few months. Some fully functional adults spent their first five years flapping in a corner.
• Autism should not squelch your dreams for your child. You may need to adjust some of your dreams, but there will also be new dreams. And you can wind up amazed at what your son/daughter can accomplish.
• It is important that you find therapies that will help your child. But it will do you or your child no good to beat yourself up over the “I should have seen this before; I should have gotten him into early intervention; I should have X Y Z” The whole notion of a window of opportunity after which the gate shuts closed simply isn’t true. Work with what you can now.
• Know that there is sooo much information out there when you know where to look for it. Connect with a blogger online and follow her links. There are moms with kids at all points on the spectrum blogging about what works for their kids, and there are autistic and asperger’s individuals blogging about themselves. There are books packed dense with information; more than you could read in a lifetime.
• Find support. Raising a kid with special needs is difficult, and going through it alone will only make it worse. Whether it’s through a local support group, on the phone with a caring relative, or on the internet, find someone you can vent to. You can only be a good resource for your child when your basic needs are taken care of.
• Remember your kid is still a kid. Yes, you’ll want to sign him up for every therapy out there, but don’t forget to schedule free time. Time when he can do what he wants without someone trying to teach him at every corner.

 

Reflections for Parents now:

• Don’t view your child’s special interest as a problem to be overcome. So much energy is wasted trying to redirect focus to other topics. Remember Han’s Asperger’s line, “for success in art or science, a dash of autism is essential.” Regardless of your child’s interest, there is a place in academia where he can explore it at will, and even make money off of it. I eat, sleep, and breathe autism, and when looking for a research position, this is what the faculty were looking for. Someone who couldn’t get enough of the topic, couldn’t stop reading about it, and didn’t want to talk/focus on anything else. This hyperfocus which seems annoying now will be invaluable at university.
• Remember that although your teen is autistic, he is still a teenager. It will only harm him/her to not be aware what puberty or sex is
• Don’t rush to attribute everything to autism. Rapid moodswings, trying to avoid parents, resisting authority figures, is not a symptom; it is teenagerhood.
• Watch out for your child’s mental health. Most teens with Asperger’s will develop a mood or anxiety disorder. Know the signs and symptoms and get your teen help before the situation turns tragic.
• Remind your child daily how much you love and care for him, and how proud you are of his achievements.
• Remember that simply because your teen looks like he is coping better this doesn’t mean his problems have been overcome. I’ve learned dozens of tactics for coping with sensory overload, but every day I walk into a flourescent lit room with several people talking is a struggle I need to work twice as hard as my NT peers to overcome.

Be sure to visit this week’s Try-This Tuesday hub for more great posts on the topic.

The Truth about Teaching

 

This week I actually read a book that wasn’t about autism (I hereby give both you and Dr. Wop-Wop permission to faint). But it was such a fascinating read, I felt I had to share it with you. The title was “Dumbing Us Down“, and the author John Gatto, one of America’s teachers of the year several times over. The book is a collection of different speeches he’s given when accepting awards and the like. I found it when I got lost in the 370s one night (which, for those as you not as nerdy as me (this means you, Emily, is the Dewey decimal system number for education books). It was one of the few works written in the past two decades in that department (we have no education dept. at the school so…), and I felt compelled to pick it up.

I read it over the space of two afternoons and it was wonderful. At less than 100 pages, with each section broken down into digestible five to ten page speeches, there is little excuse not to make the time to read it. Consider it a series of very well polished blog posts.

I really enjoyed reading this book. It was a bit repetitive, because each speech was given to a different audience so he needed to reiterate his thesis several times, but well worth the read anyway. The premise was that the American public education system is not built with the goal of educating students, but rather of “schooling” students, of teaching them to be obedient loyal consumerists who will uphold the status quo. While some of his language may have been a bit extreme, the overall message was sound and the use of examples from his actual teaching career was a boon.

There is also a longer edition of the work available called “Weapons of Mass Instruction” published in December. But I would check out Dumbing Us Down first to ensure you like his style of writing.

Loving to Learn: Motivating the ASD student to study

I apologize for my absence of late. I was home for Spring Break, and my mom only lets me on the computer for 30 minutes a day! So I wasn’t able to write much. However,it is now time for another Ask an Aspie, this one from suzymom:

I’d like to know if you had trouble motivating yourself to study when you were in highschool. My 14-yr-old either thinks she has already mastered the topic of her next test (which is often not true at all) or else she decides it’s just too difficult and it’s no use trying to study for it. So either way not a lot of work gets done…

Hmm. Motivating myself to study in middle/high school was not a challenge for me. I used my intellect as a way to display my superiority over others, and I was willing to do whatever it took to ensure that I remained at the top of my class, even if it meant six or seven hours of homework nightly. (All the work did pay off; I graduated valedictorian in a class of 600). But that’s what kept me going; knowing that I had a goal to shoot for and a purpose for my endeavors (namely being viewed as the smartest student in my high school).

But for Carl, it was a different matter entirely, and still is. He couldn’t see the purpose of homework or studying; if he could float by on a C+/B without doing any work, why should he put in the effort to get A’s? For him (and for most teenagers, I think), money was the best motivator. For getting an A on a report card, he got $20. So a report card of A’s was worth more than $100 dollars, which is enough for two new video games, or five old ones. Now that he’s in college, a different tactic is used. At the beginning of the semester, he pays the tuition (roughly 2,500/semester). If he gets nothing below a B at the end of the term, mom gives him the money back. Several of my friends who are attending state schools (and thus have the money for such a plan), have the same agreement with their parents. It provides more of an internal motivation and puts more at stake than the reward for good grades.

Some other things that helped to motivate:

• an excel chart with a list of all my grades for each assignment for the term. This way I could clearly see where I was doing well and take pride, and where I was not passing muster and work harder.
• small rewards for each success. An A on an exam meant a trip to the movies paid for by mom or an extra hour of computer time one night.
• Finding a successful study method. Trying out all sorts of options (what type of chair? music or no music? type notes or write them? study every day or cram all at once?) Once you find the right method, studying becomes less of a painful chore and more of a means to an exciting end.

On the issue of things being too difficult, I found it best to reason things out. For example, fall of freshman year I took Organic Chemistry. The class, in my opinion, was very close to impossible.  The teacher gave “learning tests” designed to teach you to think rather than rate your understanding, meaning at least part of each could not be filled out based on knowledge alone. This was disheartening. I considered giving up and dropping the class as there was no way I would ace it. But instead I reasoned out that if I could understand at least a fraction of the material (say 1/4th) really well, I could use that knowledge to buffer the rest. At least the prof would see that I had some understanding and made the effort, which would get me some brownie points, as well as make me feel self-satisfied for knowing that much of a really rough subject. In the end, I left a quarter of the final blank, but I got a B in the course and felt pretty good about myself for making it through a class that was so tough my first semester at college. Plus I can still tap back into that information as needed, since I knew it back to front.

I wish I had more concrete suggestions to offer, but Mom is still working on motivating Carl to do his work and study at a higher level.

Forcing Friendships: Should you push your child to socialize?

Today is the third installment of “Ask an Aspie“, a feature where you can ask questions about autism, me, or life in general (as a comment on the page to your right). Today’s question comes from Patty Gish who asks:

“I have a four year old son with high functioning autism. He is very bright intellectually (he began reading with comprehension at 2.5 years and is now teaching himself multiplication.) He struggles a lot when playing with his peers; he is very inflexible socially and gets frustrated when friends won’t follow his “plan.” He is in ABA therapy 18 hrs/week (including two facilitated playdates each week), plus two social groups and two speech therapy sessions each week. My question is: how often should I push him to play with peers? He seems to get very exhausted and frustrated when trying to “play” with friends and I fear that, if I push him to play with peers too much, he will react by withdrawing farther into himself. On the other hand, I want to give him enough practice to develop skills in dealing with peers. Any advice?”

I was very much a parallel player in my younger days. I liked having other kids around, but I didn’t want them to mess with my activity, and in exchange I wouldn’t touch theirs. Many an afternoon was spent sitting on one side of the living room with a lego set, with a friend sitting on the opposite side with his lego set. My mom fretted. She told me I should talk to my friends, that they came over so we could hang out together not merely in the same room. She lectured, she coaxed, she cajoled, she offered prizes and reinforcements if I would have a conversation with the visitor. But to no avail.

Then, over time, I would start to interact with the kid who came over. Maybe the first time we’d say a few words, by the third time get through a few sentence exchange, etc. By 9, these interactions had expanded into us sharing a game.  By now, my interactions are… a special blend of normal and quirky.

Basically I think it’s a time thing. All the prompting in the world will only frustrate everyone. It is really best to just let kids gradually learn to join their peers and socialize. But, that said, there are a few things which might help speed the process.

• Structured games with set rules. I’ve seen arguments over everything from monopoly to scrabble but I’ve never seen anyone fight over trouble or sorry or aggravation or a similar such game. They have an established organization or order of play, and no “house rules” to worry over. Then from there more complex games with more nuance can be extended to.
• I began my interactions with Carl’s friends (5 years older), then cousins between us, and steadily worked my way down to peers my age. I really preferred associating with adults (as I think most kids with ASD do), but working my way down the age ranges helped me realize that kids could have their perks too. Plus it allowed me to work out my social skills on individuals who were apt to be more forgiving as I was younger and thus not supposed to be as skilled.

I want to come back to thisin the near future, but my mind is still a bit hazy due to the flu. But I’m curious about everyone else’s opinions. Those who have been there and lived to tell the tale, and those who are struggling with the same dilemma now. Please feel free to let loose in the comments.

Charger Update

This week I only had one session with Charger due to my having the flu . But the one session we did have was awesome! It wasn’t really ABA but his mom is cool with trying a whole bunch of different approaches to see what fits him, and that works for me too.

When I first got there, I thought it was going to be a nightmare of a time. He gets out of the car and says “All done!”. Crap. He refuses to walk with his mom up the stairs and then won’t pull off his jacket. Egads. But once his jacket is off, the whole mood changes. I start with a “Hi Charger” to which he responds “Hi Cale.” He didn’t look at me, but that is definitely an improvement over last time!

I get out the train tracks and within two minutes we have fit number two of the afternoon. He can’t get the pieces to line up just right. When I go in to help him, he takes the whole thing apart and flings them. I go get them, bring them back, and he takes effort number two and is successful. So he gets five minutes of train time for putting together the tracks.

Then I bring him over to the therapy table and pull out an airplane puzzle. This is exciting for him. He starts scripting some show about air planes as he puts it together. When he pauses for air, I jump in with, “Charger, have you ever been on an airplane?” And he responds in the negative, which his mom confirms. Then he makes a comment on the airplane puzzle, and finishes putting it together. We go and show off the finished product to his mom who makes a giant fuss which gets him all giggly. Then he gets to pick a toy out of the good-job box and grabs a praying mantis.

If the puzzle was exciting, the praying mantis is earthshatteringly awesome. He’s talking full speed and I’m struggling to keep up. It is at this point that I pull out a pan lined with flour and set it on the table. I sit at the table, running the flour through my hands as he talks to his praying mantis. Two minutes go by, with me exclaiming about the awesomeness of the flour and him talking to his praying mantis. But he eventually gives in, his interest is piqued, he has to come see what the fuss is about with the flour. He comes and stares for a second, and I take this oppurtunity to take the praying mantis and bury him under the flour. A cross look appears on his face, but then he puts his hand right in and rescues the insect, realizing in the process that this flour-stuff is cool. Soon we’re blowing it in each other’s faces and shooting it at each other’s clothes. Praying mantis is buried and dug up and buried and dug up and so on and so forth. Then he pauses for a moment and realizes how dirty we’ve gotten. “Scrub, scrub, scrub” he says, and I pull out a feather duster I brought for particularly this purpose. He looks at the duster and then begins to brush the mantis. At this point his mom walks in, and I blanch. We got this room crazy dirty.

But she smiles and grabs the feather duster. “Having fun?” she asks Charger. “Yes. Me and praying mantis. Friends. Playing in the snow!” She looks confused and then realizes he’s referring to the flour as snow. She laughs and tickles his stomach with the feather duster and he laughs and grabs it back to brush her face. In the meantime, I clean up the mess we made and grab our last activity of the day, a peg board.

“Candles on a cake!” exclaims Charger, and he sets to work putting all the pegs into the board. Then, at my request, he counts them, and correctly determines there are 47 in the board. Then we organize them by color and discuss the rainbow. Finally, it’s time to go and he grabs a beetle from the good-job box on the way out.

Awesome. Can’t wait to go back after Spring Break.